What have we found? An old statue?

[nickandanna]

Hi everyone,
Please help us in identifying this little statue we found on a remote beach in Hilton Head Island, SC. We were just digging in some wet clay, sand, when we unearthed this little girl figurine. It is about 3 inches tall and 2 inches wide and made out of either some kind of stone or clay. The only identifying marks on it are the carved out body parts. We also found an idian arrowhead on this same very beach a year ago, but we don't know if this statue is also an indian artifact or not. Please help us in identifying this statue and and help us try to figure out what time period it came from.
Thank you,
Nick and Anna

 

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[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Here is some more of the stuff I have been looking at. All described as Pre-Columbian and primarily from Mexico and South America. The hands on the legs motif seems to very prevalent in those areas.

~ * ~

While the phrase "Pre-Columbian Era" literally refers only to the time preceding Christopher Columbus's voyages of 1492, in practice the phrase usually is used to denote the entire history of American indigenous cultures until those cultures were conquered or significantly influenced by Europeans, even if this happened decades or even centuries after Columbus's initial landing.

 

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[High Plains Digger]

Just a couple of final remarks:

Big Cy: You are right, and my spelling was bad.

Kuger: You are right, too. Yes, my financial life sucks and it shouldn't. But I was trying to be a little apolitical for the purposes of this forum, and I don't like the watchful eye of the Secret Service. I am hysterically afraid for the probable loss of the lifestyle I spent 30 years building. So stay with me here.

And last of all, I owe apologies to Big CY by tagging him with CBG, although who knows, he may be a fan of CBG. My mind is still boggling from another thread and the many things I am learning from CBG. Don't banish me, please! This thread was supposed to be the "relaxer" for me, but I messed up. It is all these legal drugs the Dr. has me on. That is always a good excuse, isn't it?

And for nickandanna: The spear point is fantastic. I have been admiring it. My question on it is, what is the size? I think it is similar to one I have in form, but I wouldn't call mine a spear point at 2 1/2 to 3 inches. The work on yours was done by a true expert. Had to be to stay alive long enough to get good at knapping.

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Here's an interesting one I came across which is described as ...

"A human effigy found near Nashville, Tennessee. Date unknown."

I think I'll call it quits with this one. Too many "Lookalikes." I suggest expert evaluation.

Good Luck!

SBB

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Are shipwreck items found on that beach? Could it be a Mayan artifact from a Spanish shipwreck?

 

[kuger]

Just a couple of final remarks:

CBG: You are right, and my spelling was bad.

Kuger: You are right, too. Yes, my financial life sucks and it shouldn't. But I was trying to be a little apolitical for the purposes of this forum, and I don't like the watchful eye of the Secret Service. I am histerically afraid for the probable loss of the lifestyle I spent 30 years building. So stay with me here.

Dont be skeered,I got bullets

 

[stefen]

Are shipwreck items found on that beach? Could it be a Mayan artifact from a Spanish shipwreck?

Interesting premise...

 

[nickandanna]

Are shipwreck items found on that beach? Could it be a Mayan artifact from a Spanish shipwreck?

Interesting point....could be, because we also found the spearhead on this beach along with this effigy, so we can't wait to go back to the beach to look for more things, but this time with our metal detector, because we suspect that there are definetly more things out there, maybe even from a shipwreck.

 

[nickandanna]

Just a couple of final remarks:
And for nickandanna: The spear point is fantastic. I have been admiring it. My question on it is, what is the size? I think it is similar to one I have in form, but I wouldn't call mine a spear point at 2 1/2 to 3 inches. The work on yours was done by a true expert. Had to be to stay alive long enough to get good at knapping.

If you look at one of the previous pics we posted above, you can see that the spear is about 4 inches by 2 inches wide. It is a very nice spear we found a year ago on the same beach and starting to wonder if the two artifacts have anything to do with each other and if there are more artifacts out there on that beach.

 

[kuger]

Just a couple of final remarks:
And for nickandanna: The spear point is fantastic. I have been admiring it. My question on it is, what is the size? I think it is similar to one I have in form, but I wouldn't call mine a spear point at 2 1/2 to 3 inches. The work on yours was done by a true expert. Had to be to stay alive long enough to get good at knapping.

If you look at one of the previous pics we posted above, you can see that the spear is about 4 inches by 2 inches wide. It is a very nice spear we found a year ago on the same beach and starting to wonder if the two artifacts have anything to do with each other and if there are more artifacts out there on that beach.

I cant speak for back East,but most "spear Points",were actually Atlatl Dart heads.Spears were not as common as one would think

 

[nickandanna]

Here is some more of the stuff I have been looking at. All described as Pre-Columbian and primarily from Mexico and South America. The hands on the legs motif seems to very prevalent in those areas.

~ * ~

While the phrase "Pre-Columbian Era" literally refers only to the time preceding Christopher Columbus's voyages of 1492, in practice the phrase usually is used to denote the entire history of American indigenous cultures until those cultures were conquered or significantly influenced by Europeans, even if this happened decades or even centuries after Columbus's initial landing.

Thank you for all your research, after reading all the replies and studying our artifact, it definetly resembles more like the artifacts from the pre-columbian mayan period, therefore the theory that there was a shipwreck or this figurine somehow ended up on that beach via trade route and being lost is a definite possibility.

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

nickandanna ~

I didn't think I'd be back so soon, but I picked up this bit of information that may assist you in your research. It occured when I switched gears to "Aztec" instead of "Mayan." (Both are considered Pre-Columbian).

However ...

Mayan Time Period = circa 2000 BC to 25 AD

Aztec Time Period = circa 1200 AD to 1500 AD

And that's when I discovered a unique difference between the two. The majority of the Mayan figures seem to have the "Hands on the knees" motif. Whereas the Aztec figures seem to have "The Hands on the chest" motif. I'm sure there is some explaination for this, but I don't have a clue what it is. But if there is something to it, it suggest that your figure "might" be Mayan, and the older of the two. I suspect that the Spanish coquistadores/explorers grabbed anything and everything they could get their hands on, both Mayan and Aztec. And then sped away with their "treasures" on their ships!

Mayan Wikipedia link : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_civilization

Aztec Wikipedia link : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec

Here's a good example of an Aztec figure, with a reference about the folded arms in the following description ...

~ * ~

AN AZTEC STONE FIGURE
Sold For $26,400.00

AN AZTEC STONE FIGURE, POSTCLASSIC, CA. A.D. 1200-1521

MEASUREMENTS
Height 30in. 76.2cm

DESCRIPTION

Poised in a reverential posture with arms crossed on the chest, a small concavity and groove extending up the neck, the face with rounded eyes and mouth open as if chanting, wearing a simple loincloth knotted in front and wrapped around the waist, supported on a small rectangular platform; in gray basalt.

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

P.S. ~

The Conquistadores pillaged the Americas throughout the 1500 and 1600s. I'm not sure when they hit the beaches in South Carolina. Lol

SBB

 

[timekiller]

Just a couple of final remarks:
And for nickandanna: The spear point is fantastic. I have been admiring it. My question on it is, what is the size? I think it is similar to one I have in form, but I wouldn't call mine a spear point at 2 1/2 to 3 inches. The work on yours was done by a true expert. Had to be to stay alive long enough to get good at knapping.

If you look at one of the previous pics we posted above, you can see that the spear is about 4 inches by 2 inches wide. It is a very nice spear we found a year ago on the same beach and starting to wonder if the two artifacts have anything to do with each other and if there are more artifacts out there on that beach.

I cant speak for back East,but most "spear Points",were actually Atlatl Dart heads.Spears were not as common as one would think

Hey there kuger, Finding them that size here is not that uncommon.But did want to show you a killer one.Thought you might like to see it.Seems how you like this stuff.
Take Care,
Pete,
Here's the story.
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,408036.0.html

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Hilton Head Island: The 4,000-year-old Native American camp-----could have been a canoe crash in their own front yard!

 

[Breezie]

Outstanding spear point Pete! Breezie

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

P.S. ~

The Conquistadores pillaged the Americas throughout the 1500 and 1600s. I'm not sure when they hit the beaches in South Carolina. Lol

SBB

It doesnt matter whether they actually landed on SC beaches or not. The gulfstream shipping lanes back to Spain followed the Florida coast then up to Bermuda and I believe hurricanes pushed the fleets onto the SC beaches. Maybe the shipwreck guys could explain it better. You found some similar Mayan/ Aztec examples and I asked the question if any shipwreck items spikes, coins etc were found how it could have come to be on that beach. Its common knowlege the Spaniards pillaged and then smuggled Mayan/ Aztec artifacts back to Spain. Its as good a guess as the Mansfield Family of Bucks lol.

 

[kuger]

Just a couple of final remarks:
And for nickandanna: The spear point is fantastic. I have been admiring it. My question on it is, what is the size? I think it is similar to one I have in form, but I wouldn't call mine a spear point at 2 1/2 to 3 inches. The work on yours was done by a true expert. Had to be to stay alive long enough to get good at knapping.

If you look at one of the previous pics we posted above, you can see that the spear is about 4 inches by 2 inches wide. It is a very nice spear we found a year ago on the same beach and starting to wonder if the two artifacts have anything to do with each other and if there are more artifacts out there on that beach.

I cant speak for back East,but most "spear Points",were actually Atlatl Dart heads.Spears were not as common as one would think

Hey there kuger, Finding them that size here is not that uncommon.But did want to show you a killer one.Thought you might like to see it.Seems how you like this stuff.
Take Care,
Pete,
Here's the story.
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,408036.0.html

WOW!!Pete,specimens that size arent common out here!The one the O.P. posted are common with the popularity of the Atlatl.
I do have a strong interest in them as I have been collecting since the age of 5.Things have changed now however and my large collection does not get added to.It is however the center piece of a very large museum

 

[timekiller]

Just a couple of final remarks:
And for nickandanna: The spear point is fantastic. I have been admiring it. My question on it is, what is the size? I think it is similar to one I have in form, but I wouldn't call mine a spear point at 2 1/2 to 3 inches. The work on yours was done by a true expert. Had to be to stay alive long enough to get good at knapping.

If you look at one of the previous pics we posted above, you can see that the spear is about 4 inches by 2 inches wide. It is a very nice spear we found a year ago on the same beach and starting to wonder if the two artifacts have anything to do with each other and if there are more artifacts out there on that beach.

I cant speak for back East,but most "spear Points",were actually Atlatl Dart heads.Spears were not as common as one would think

Hey there kuger, Finding them that size here is not that uncommon.But did want to show you a killer one.Thought you might like to see it.Seems how you like this stuff.
Take Care,
Pete,
Here's the story.
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,408036.0.html

WOW!!Pete,specimens that size arent common out here!The one the O.P. posted are common with the popularity of the Atlatl.
I do have a strong interest in them as I have been collecting since the age of 5.Things have changed now however and my large collection does not get added to.It is however the center piece of a very large museum

Good Deal man, I got started about the same time in age with my dad as he is the indian artifact lover.Me...... I like being versatile a little of it all is what I prefer.
Take Care,
Pete,
PS: to the poster sorry for getting off track just thought kuger might like to see the spear point.You have some nice finds there not sure about the one piece.Never found nothing up here like it between me & dad we've got many years of looking to.
Take Care,
Pete,

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

~ "Costa Rica" pre-columbian ~

Costa Rica was described by a Spanish governor in 1719 as "the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in all America."

 

[ivan salis]

looted by the spanish from south america most likely --if its * mayan or aztec figure lost when the spanish treasure vessel got storm damaged along the florida coast on its return voyage to spain and thus lost at sea * the gulf stream effect carrying it into the south carolina coast where it wrecked . --or else a form of african slave "voodoo" doll planted there for some religious reason , long ago. --the doll and point may or may not be "related" to one another --they might have been lost at much differant times.

either way the area where it was found derseves a "very though" looking at to see if there was indeed a treasure ship wreck in that area.